Theatrical illusion



d117, 1936. E. M. MASSEY 2,@34,497

THEATRICAL ILLUS ION Filed Feb. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THEATRIGAL ILLUSION Application February 26, 1935, Serial No. 8,233

14 Claims.

This invention relates to theatrical illusions, and relates more particularly to apparatus for presenting an illusion of a startling and entertaining character, by means of which various portions of the body of a living person may apparently be separated from other portions thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to provide apparatus for presenting on theatrical stages and the like, an illusion of separating or dissociating various portions of the body of a living person, such as the head and legs, from the remaining portions of the body of said person.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in section, of apparatus embodying the main features of the present invention, intended for use in creating the illusion of separating the head and leg portions of the body of a living person from the remaining portions thereof;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating that portion of the housing of the apparatus from which the head of the supposed subject projects;

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating that portion of the housing from which the legs of the supposed subject project;

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating a portion of the housing and a shelf for supporting a dummy form used for simulating a portion of the body of the subject, this view showing more particularly means whereby the arms of a living person employed in effecting the illusion may be displayed in association with the dummy form;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, illustrating a portion of the dummy form in the operative position, and the shelf or platform used for supporting said dummy form;

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the dummy form in collapsed condition resting within the hollow interior of the shelf; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1, illustrating a portion of the annular housing and one of the cradles mounted therein for supporting a person used in presenting the illusion.

It will, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein contained are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in, the structure disclosed.

without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of the invention therein shown, II] is a hollow annular housing, preferably supported by columns I I from a suitable platform I2, which in turn is provided with casters l3 whereby the apparatus may be conveniently moved about the stage on which the illusion is to be presented.

The central portion of the housing Ill is open, and across this opening extends a shelf Hi, the construction and arrangement of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Within the annular housing Ill there are mounted two sector shaped cradles, l5 and I6, adapted to support, in a manner to be hereinafter set forth, the persons used in effecting the illusion. Each of the cradles is independently movable within the annular chamber provided by the housing 10.

Within the cradle [5 are disposed the torso and legs of the person whose head is to be used to form part of the supposed subject to be operated upon in the performance of the illusion, while within the cradle 16 are disposed the head, torso, and thigh portions of the person whose legs are to be used to form part of the supposed subject.

At one portion of the circumference of the outer wall of the housing [0 there is provided a slot I! through which passes the neck of the person whose head is used to form the head of the supposed subject, it being understood that the head of this person projects entirely beyond said outer wall, while the other portions of the body of this person, which are disposed within the cradle l5, are concealed from the view of the spectators. There may also be provided hinged door portions l8 of the outer wall of the housing In, which door portions are normally held in closed position by hooks [9. These door portions l8 afford a means whereby th'e torso and legs of this person may be placed in the cradle IS.

The cradle I5 is also provided with a supporting member 20, upon which rests the head of the person carried by said cradle Hi. The supporting member 20 extends through the slot I1, so that as the cradle I5 is moved to various positions within the housing II], the head of the person carried by said cradle will be moved in unison therewith, and will be properly supported during such movement.

For the purpose of covering the slot H, as well as the door portions l8, when the cradle I5 is moved to various positions, there is provided a spring roller curtain 2|, having a loop connector 22 which may be hooked to the supporting member 20, so that the curtain will be unrolled and pulled over the outer surface of the housing l0 When the person carried by the cradle I5 is moved to various positions to create the illusion that the head of the subject has been separated from the remaining portions thereof.

The outer wall of the housing I0 is also provided with a slot 25, diametrically opposite the slot IT. The slot .25 is provided so that the legs of the person supported by the cradle 1'6 may project therethrough and be seen by the spec--v tators, while the remaining portions of this person are concealed within the housing Ill. There is also provided a spring roller curtain 26, having a loop connector 27 which may be hooked to the cradle I6, so that when said cradle is moved from its initial position the roller curtain 26 will be unrolled and pulled over the slot 25 to cover the same.

For the purpose of manipulating the cradle IS, the same may be provided with a handle member 28 extending through the slot I1, and, to prevent undesired movement of the cradle l6, there may be provided hook members 29, pivotally secured to the outer wallof the housing l0 and adapted to engage portions of the handle member 28 The shelf 14, hereinbefore mentioned, comprises .a shallow hollow body within which is mounted a plate 30, which may be raised to the operative position as shown in. Fig. 5, to simulate the top surface of the shelf. Limiting hooks 3! are provided to position the plate member 30 at its ,proper level when the sameis raised. jMounted upon the plate member 30 is a dummy form '32, preferably made of suitably shaped .longitudinallyextending"wires 33, disposed withandsecured to a suitable envelope 34, prefer- :ablymade of textile material. The dummy form 32 serves to simulate the torso and thigh portions of the supposed subject. This form 32' is provided with eye members 35 at the ends thereof, 'which are secured by pins 36 to eye members 3-! "carried by the inner circular wall of the housing till, the arrangement-being such that when the pins :36 are withdrawn the form will collapse and fall within thehollow interior of the shelf structure, the plate member 30 falling to the bottom thereof at the same time.

.Aroller curtain 3-8 is mounted in :a portion of the :shelf "member l4, and is adapted to be drawn over the top-of the same when the dummy form is collapsed, this curtain then'serving to simulate the top surface of the shelf member.

The of "the person disposed within the cradle 15 rare preferably .used in connection with the dummy 'form 3.2, and for this purpose the inner :circular wall of the housing NJ is provided with elongated openings :40 (see Fig. 4), each of which is covered with elastic webbing :4l having a slit 42 thereinrunning parallel to the side edges of said opening 40. With this arrangement, the arms ;of the person supported by the cradle l5 rmay be projected through the openings 40 in proper relationship with the dummy form which is supported by the shelf member 14.

Byiusing the .actual arms of the person carried by the cradle [5, said arms may be moved when .desiredto :produce a'natural effect, whereby the spectators may be convinced that the dummy form is an actual part of the subject.

The initial arrangement of the living head of the person carried by the cradle l-5 projecting at on'e'point in the circumference of the housing :Iifl, the dummy form extending "across the central opening of the housing, the actual arms of the person carried by the cradle l5 resting upon the shelf member I, and the legs of the living person carried by the cradle l6 projecting at another point in the circumference of the housing l0all in proper association--greatly adds to the illusion which is desired.

In the presentation of the illusion, the two persons used are first arranged in the apparatus, this being done out of view of the spectators, and the dummy form is extended as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, so that the appearance to the spectators is that of a subject apparently comprising a single person whose head projects from one part of the circumference of the apparatus, whose legs project from the diametrically opposite portion thereof, and whose body and arms extend across the central opening. The apparatus, with the two persons so disposed therein,

is then pushed into the View of the spectators.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the arms of the person supported by the cradle I5 may be moved in a natural manner when displayed in association with the dummy form, thereby convincing the spectators that the displayed .head, legs, and dummy body form are all parts of a. single living person. At the proper time these arms may be withdrawn from view, into the interior of the annular housing 10. a

The dummy form 32 may be collapsed at any time desired, by the withdrawal of the pins 36,

and the curtain .38 may be pulled across the top of the shelf I4, and if at the same time the arms of the person-carried by the cradle I5 are withdrawn from 'view, into the interior of the housing II], a startling effect will be obtained, namely, the appearance of a living head at one portion of the circumference of the housing, and liv- 'ing legs and feet at another portion thereof, without any connecting anatomical portions.

The head, as well as the feet, may be moved independently with respect to each other and with respect to the dummy form 32, whether said form be left in the expanded condition or collapsed,

If desired, the head and legs may be apparently severed from the remaining portions of the body, for which purpose apparatus of the type well known to professional magicians as the guillotine illusion may beused, or any of the various types of trick knives may be used for such purpose.

It will of course be understood that when'the head or the legs of the supposed subject are moved to various positions around the circumference of the housing II), this effect is accomplished by a manual shifting of the cradles l5 and I6, respectively, within the housing l0. As this shifting occurs, the curtains 2| and 26 will be pulled across the slots l1 and 25, respectively, so that the apparatus may be freely turned'about and viewed from all sides.

It may be desirable, in the presentation of the illusion, to withdraw the entire subject from the form 32 may be collapsed and hidden within the shelf I4, the curtain 3B meanwhile being drawn across the top of said shelf. When the covering sheet is removed, the apparatus will present the appearance of the person whose head, feet, and body had been displayed having been withdrawn from the apparatus, and in this manner the spectators will be convinced that but a single person was used in the presentation.

It will be seen that there is thus provided novel apparatus by means of which illusionary effects of an entertaining and startling character may be obtained.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing within which various portions of a living person are concealed, and means within said housing for shiftably supporting said person whereby the portions of said person which are not concealed within said housing may be shifted to various positions about said housing.

2. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing within which various portions of a plurality of living persons are concealed, and means within said housing for shiftably supporting said persons whereby the portions of said persons which are not concealed within said housing may be shifted to various positions about said housing.

3. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing within which various portions of a plurality of living persons are concealed, means within said housing for shiftably supporting said persons, and means associated with said housing for simulating a portion of a person.

4. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing within which various portions of a plurality of living persons are concealed, means within said housing for shiftably supporting said persons, means associated with said housing for simulating a portion of a person, and means for concealing said simulating means.

5. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, and a cradle shiftably mounted in said housing adapted to receive and support a living person in position whereby portions of said person are concealed within said housing and other portions project beyond the outer wall of said housing, and the projecting portions of said person may be shifted to Various positions about said housing.

6. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, and a cradle shiftably mounted in said housing adapted to receive and support a living person, and the outer wall of the housing having a slot through which a portion of said person projects whereby said projecting portion of said person may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradle is shifted.

'7. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, and cradles shiftably mounted in said housing, each of said cradles being adapted to receive and support a living person, and the outer wall of the housing having slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shifted.

8. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, cradles shiftably mounted in said housing, each of said cradles being adapted to receive and support a living person, the outer wall of the housing having slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shifted, and curtains adapted to cover said slots when the cradles are in their shifted positions.

9. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, cradles shiftably mounted in said housing, each of said cradles being adapted to receive and support a living person, the outer wall of the housing having slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shifted, and a concealable dummy form sup-ported in the open central portion of the housing.

10. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, cradles shiftably mounted in said housing, each of said cradles being adapted to receive and support a living person, the outer wall of the housing having slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shift-ed, a shelf extending across the open central portion of the housing, and a collapsible dummy form carried thereby and concealable therein when collapsed.

11. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, cradles shiftably mounted in said housing, each of said crades being adapted to receive and support a living person, the outer wall of the housing having slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shifted, a shell extending across the open central portion of the housing, a collapsible dummy form carried thereby and concealable therein when collapsed, and a curtain extendible over said shelf when the dummy form is collapsed.

12. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, a cradle shiftably mounted in said housing, said cradle being adapted to receive and support a living person, the outer wall of the housing having a slot through which portions of said person project whereby said projecting portions of said person may be moved to various positions on the circumference of the housing when said cradle is shifted, a concealable dummy form supported in the open central portion of the housing, and the inner wall of the housing having openings through which the arms of the person carried by said cradle may project and be displayed in association with said dummy form and through which said arms may be withdrawn within the housing,

13. Apparatus for producing theatrical illusions comprising a hollow annular housing haviing an open central portion, cradles rshiftab-ly mounted in said housing, each of said cradles being adapted to receive and support 'a living person, the outer wall of the housing having .slots through which portions of said persons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons :may be moved to various positions'on the circumference of the housing when said cradles are shifted, a concealable dummy form supported in the open central portion of the housing, and the inner wall 'of the housing having openings through which the arms of the person-carried .by one of said cradles may project and be displayed in association with said dummy form and through whichsaid arms maybe withdrawn within-the housing.

14. Apparatus forproducing theatrical illusions comprising 'a hollow annular housing having an open central portion, cradles shiftably :mounted in :said housing, reach xof said cradles :being adapted 'to "receive and 'support "a living person, the outer wall of the'housing having slots through which portions of vsaid rpersons project whereby said projecting portions of said persons may be moved to :various positions on 'the "circumference of the housing when said cradles :ar shifted, curtains adapted to cover .said slots when the cradles are :in their shifted positions,

.;a shelf extending across the open central p.01- :tion1of the housing, a collapsible dummy forrn ,ject and be displayed in association with said dummy form and through which said arms may be withdrawn within the housing when desired.

EDWARD M. MASSEY. 

